The present invention relates generally to magnetic transducers for reading information signals recorded in a magnetic medium and, more particularly, to an improved magnetoresistive read sensor which utilizes a multilayered, spin valve structure and the sensor sense current to set the non-signal operating point of the sensor.
The prior art discloses a magnetic read transducer referred to as a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor or head which has been shown to be capable of reading data from a magnetic surface at great linear densities. An MR sensor detects magnetic field signals through the resistance changes of a read element fabricated of a magnetic material as a function of the strength and direction of magnetic flux being sensed by the read element. These prior art MR sensors operate on the basis of the anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) effect in which a component of the read element resistance varies as the square of the cosine.sup.2 (cos ) of the angle between the magnetization and the direction of sense current flow through the element. A more detailed description of the AMR effect can be found in "Memory, Storage, and Related Applications", D.A. Thompson et al., IEEE Trans. Mag. MAG-11, p. 1039 (1975).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,235 entitled "Magnetic Transducer Head Utilizing Magnetoresistance Effect", granted to Takino et al on Jan. 23, 1990, discloses a multilayered magnetic sensor which utilizes the AMR and comprises first and second magnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic layer in which at least one of the magnetic layers is of a material exhibiting the AMR effect. The easy axis of magnetization in each of the magnetic layers is set perpendicular to the applied magnetic signal such that the MR sensor element sensor current provides a magnetic field in the magnetic layers parallel to the easy axis thus eliminating or minimizing Barkhausen noise in the sensor. "Thin Film MR Head for High Density Rigid Disk Drive" by H. Suyama et al, IEEE Trans. Mag., Vol. 24, No. 6, 1988 (pages 2612-2614) discloses a multilayered MR sensor similar to that disclosed by Takino et al.
More recently, a different, more pronounced magnetoresistive effect has been described in which the change in resistance of a layered magnetic sensor is attributed to the spin-dependent transmission of the conduction electrons between the magnetic layers through a non-magnetic layer and the accompanying spin-dependent scattering at the layer interfaces and within the ferromagnetic layers. This magnetoresistive effect is variously referred to as the "giant magnetoresistive" or "spin valve" effect. Such a magnetoresistive sensor fabricated of the appropriate materials provides improved sensitivity and greater change in resistance than observed in sensors utilizing the AMR effect. In this type of MR sensor, the in-plane resistance between a pair of ferromagnetic layers separated by a non-magnetic layer varies as the cosine (cos) of the angle between the magnetization in the two layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,039 to Grunberg describes a layered magnetic structure which yields enhanced MR effects caused by antiparallel alignment of the magnetizations in the magnetic layers. As possible materials for use in the layered structure, Grunberg lists ferromagnetic transition metals and alloys, but does not indicate preferred materials from the list for superior MR signal amplitude. Grunberg further describes the use of antiferromagnetic-type exchange coupling to obtain the antiparallel alignment in which adjacent layers of ferromagnetic materials are separated by a thin interlayer of Cr or Y.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/625,343 filed Dec. 11, 1990, assigned to the instant assignee, discloses an MR sensor in which the resistance between two uncoupled ferromagnetic layers is observed to vary as the cosine of the angle between the magnetizations of the two layers and which is independent of the direction of current flow through the sensor. This mechanism produces a magnetoresistance that is based on the spin valve effect and, for selected combinations of materials, is greater in magnitude than the AMR.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/652,852, filed Feb. 8, 1991, assigned to the instant assignee, discloses an MR sensor based on the above-described effect which includes two thin film layers of ferromagnetic material separated by a thin film layer of a non-magnetic metallic material wherein at least one of the ferromagnetic layers is of cobalt or a cobalt alloy. The magnetization of the one ferromagnetic layer is maintained perpendicular to the magnetization of the other ferromagnetic layer at zero externally applied magnetic field by exchange coupling to an antiferromagnetic layer.
The spin valve structures described in the above-cited U.S. patent applications require that the direction of magnetization in one of the two ferromagnetic layers be fixed or "pinned" in a selected orientation such that under non-signal conditions the direction of magnetization in the other ferromagnetic layer is oriented perpendicular to the pinned layer magnetization. When an external magnetic signal is applied to the sensor, the direction of magnetization in the non-fixed or "free" layer rotates with respect to the direction of magnetization in the pinned layer. The output of the sensor then, is proportional to the cosine of the angle that the magnetization of the free layer rotates through. In order to maintain the magnetization orientation in the pinned layer, a means for fixing the direction of the magnetization is required. For example, as described in the above-cited patent applications, an additional layer of antiferromagnetic material can be formed in contact with the pinned ferromagnetic layer to provide an exchange coupled bias field. Alternatively, an adjacent magnetically hard layer can be utilized to provide hard bias for the pinned layer.